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Causes of hemoptysis

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
 
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The causes of hemoptysis (coughing up blood) can be divided into three groups.

  1. Inflammatory diseases - bronchiectasis, bronchitis, pulmonary tuberculosis (involving the bronchi or cavernous process), lung abscess, pneumonia (especially caused by Klebsiella), acute respiratory viral infections.
  2. Neoplasms - lung cancer (primarily bronchigenic).
  3. Other conditions, among which it is especially important to highlight:
    • pulmonary embolism;
    • pulmonary infarction;
    • acute left ventricular failure;
    • congestive heart failure;
    • mitral stenosis (leading to very severe pulmonary hypertension);
    • traumatic injuries (including the presence of foreign bodies in the respiratory tract and pulmonary contusion);
    • primary pulmonary hypertension;
    • treatment with anticoagulant drugs.

Common Causes of Hemoptysis (Coughing Up Blood)

  • Bronchogenic carcinoma
  • Bronchiectasis (especially in the absence of sputum production)
  • Pulmonary tuberculosis
  • Pulmonary infarction
  • Increased intrapulmonary pressure due to debilitating cough
  • Abscesses and gangrene of the lungs
  • Acute pneumonia, often lobar
  • Acute bronchitis, tracheitis, laryngitis with viral infection
  • Heart defect (mitral stenosis)
  • Congestive heart failure
  • Foreign bodies of the bronchi
  • Trauma of the pharynx and airways

Rare Causes of Hemoptysis (Coughing Up Blood)

  • TELA
  • Goodpasture's syndrome
  • Vasculitis (Wegener's granulomatosis, microscopic polyangiitis)
  • Lung damage in diffuse connective tissue diseases (systemic lupus erythematosus)
  • Pulmonary arteriovenous fistulas
  • Thrombocytopenic purpura
  • Actinomycosis of the lungs
  • Hemophilia
  • Rondu-Osler syndrome (congenital telangiectasia)

trusted-source[ 1 ], [ 2 ], [ 3 ], [ 4 ], [ 5 ], [ 6 ], [ 7 ], [ 8 ]

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